Foreword xi
Preface xiii
Part I Introduction to End-of-Life Planning 1
What This Book Is 2
What This Book Isn¢t 2
How This Book Is Organized 3
Chapter 1 Spoiler Alert: You¢re Going to Die 5
Death by the Numbers (And Why It Feels Like Everyone Is Dying) 7
Five Simple Actions to Kickstart Your Organized Estate 8
Part II Estate Planning Is for Everyone 11
Chapter 2 What Is Estate Planning? 13
When to Start Estate Planning 16 Can You DIY, When You Need a Professional, and What You Can Expect to Pay 18
Chapter 3 The Estate Planning Pyramid: Core Concepts and Documents 23
Essential Tool #1: Your Core Estate Planning Glossary 24
Essential Tool #2: Last Will and Testament (AKA: Your Will) 26
Essential Tool #3: Advance Directives, DNRs, POLST, and MOLST 37
Essential Tool #4: Powers of Attorney 49
Essential Tool #5: HIPAA Authorization 59
Essential Tool #6: Beneficiary Designations and Payable on Death Instructions 61
Essential Tool #7: Digital Legacy Plan 62
Essential Tool #8: Key Contact Log 67
Essential Tool #9: Final Resting Place Instructions 68
Essential Tool #10: Letter of Instruction 69
Chapter 4 The Estate Planning Pyramid: Organization and Conversation 71
Why Organization Matters 72
How to Choose the Best Organization System for Your Situation 75
What to Include in Your Estate Organization System 76
Starting the Conversation 85
Chapter 5 The Estate Planning Pyramid: Advanced Concepts and Documents 89
What High-Net-Worth Families Do Differently 90
Trusts 101 92
Unclaimed Property 104
Life Insurance 108
PreNeed and Funeral Insurance 112
Retirement Accounts and Benefits 116
Business Succession Planning 119
Estate and Inheritance Tax 124
Taxable Gifts 128
Donor Advised Funds 131
Charitable Remainder Trusts 133
Special Needs Trusts 135
Family Foundations 137
Part III Living Well Through the End 141
Chapter 6 Comfort, Care, and Control 143
Aging in Place 144
Support for Caregivers 145
Care Options Beyond the Home 146 Palliative Care and Hospice Care 149 Death Doulas 150
Financial and Legal Considerations of Care Planning 152 Understanding Medicare, Medicaid, and Supplemental Insurance 154
End-of-Life Topics People Don¢t Talk About Enough 156
Chapter 7 What to Do (and What Can Wait) When Someone Dies 159
What Typically Happens in the First 24¢"72 Hours After a Death 161
Checklist: What You¢ll Do in the First 72 Hours 162
Seven Truths About the Time After Someone Dies 171
The First 72 Hours After Someone Dies: Commonly Asked Questions 173
Chapter 8 Death Certificates, Autopsies, and Investigations 183
Death Certificates 184
Investigations 186
Other Documents You May Encounter 188
Chapter 9 Refrigeration, Moving a Body, and Embalming 191
When Refrigeration Buys You Time 192
How to (Legally) Move a Body 193
Bringing Someone Home: What Happens When a Death Happens Abroad 194
Embalming 197
Chapter 10 Organ, Tissue, and Whole-Body Donation 201
Understanding Your Donation Options 201
Chapter 11 Grief Brain and Real-Life Logistics Tips 205
Four Tips to Work with Grief Brain (Instead of Against It) 206
Part IV End-of-Life Professions, Planning Services, and Final Resting Places 215
Chapter 12 Inside the Funeral Profession 217
An Insider¢s Look at the Funeral Service Profession 218
Spotlighting Several of the Organizations That Serve the Profession 220
Talking Like a Funeral Pro (Without Needing to Be One) 222
Selecting the Right Funeral Home and Bringing the Right Information to an Arrangement Conference 226
Understanding the FTC Rule 229
Chapter 13 Planning Services and Tributes 233
Funerals, Memorials, and Celebrations of Life 234
Understanding Funeral Costs: What to Expect and How to Manage Them 240
Deep Dives: Funerals, Memorials, Celebrations of Life, and Wakes 246
Obituaries 259
Alternative Memorial Services and Emerging Trends 261
Chapter 14 Exploring Final Resting Place Options 273
What¢s Legal, What¢s Local, and What¢s Personal 274
Because Death Isn¢t the Only Thing That¢s Final: Decision Points That Can¢t Be Reversed 275 Understanding Final Resting Places 276 Cemeteries 276
Burial 280
Cremation 295
Weird, Wonderful, and Surprisingly Moving Things to Do with Ashes 306
Greener Goodbyes: Green Burial, Composting, and Mushroom Suits 309
Chapter 15 Cultural, Spiritual, and Religious Traditions 321
Christian Traditions 322
Hindu Traditions 324
Jewish Traditions 325
Muslim Traditions 328
Nonreligious Traditions 330
LGBTQ+ Traditions and Considerations 332
Chapter 16 Veterans¢ Funeral Benefits 333
Burial in a VA National Cemetery 333 Burial in a Private Cemetery 334 Military Funeral Honors 335 Burial Flags 336
Presidential Memorial Certificate 336 VA Burial Allowances 337
Headstones, Markers, and Medallions 337 Survivor Benefits 337
Documentation: The Most Important Step 338
Part V Estate Transition and Estate Settlement 339
Chapter 17 The Purpose of Settling an Estate 341
Executors, Administrators, and Trustees: The Core Players in Estate Transition 342
The Other Important Roles and Responsibilities in Estate Transition 345
Common Terms in Estate Transition 347
Chapter 18 Probate 101 351
Understanding the Purpose and Importance of Probate 352
What Is Probate Court? 353
The Probate Process Is State Specific 353
Simplified Probate vs. Full Probate 354
Commonly Asked Questions: Probate and Estate Settlement 355
Chapter 19 The Nine Steps of Probate 363
Step 1: Locate the Will (If There Is One) 363
Step 2: Open the Probate Case 366
Step 3: Notify Interested Parties 370
Step 4: Secure and Value the Estate 372
Step 5: Manage Ongoing Estate Matters 375
Step 6: Handle Debts and Taxes 377
Step 7: Court Reporting and Oversight 379
Step 8: Distribute Remaining Assets 381
Step 9: Close the Estate 383
Chapter 20 Managing Legal and Financial Affairs 387
Opening a Bank Account for the Estate 387
Review and Handle Safe Deposit Boxes 389
Notify the Post Office and Set Up Mail Forwarding 390
Notify the Landlord or Mortgage Lender 392
Notify Utility Companies and Cancel or Transfer Services 393
Notify Homeowners and Property Insurance Carriers 395
Chapter 21 Handling Benefits, Credit, and Accounts 397
Notify Social Security and Federal Agencies 397
Apply for the Social Security Lump Sum Death Benefit 399
File for Social Security Survivor Benefits 401 Notify the VA and Apply for Veterans¢ Benefits 403 Contact Former Employers for Employee Benefits 405 Notify a Credit Bureau 406
Close Credit Cards and Bank Accounts 408
Chapter 22 Managing Digital and Social Accounts 411
Secure Digital Assets and Subscriptions 411
Close or Memorialize Social Media Accounts 412
Manage Email Accounts and Auto-Replies 414
Check for Digital Assets with Monetary Value 415
Cancel Online Memberships and Subscriptions 417
Chapter 23 Final Taxes 421
The Final Return 421
Estate and Trust Returns 422 State Taxes 422
The Role of the Executor 422 Planning Ahead 422
Part VI Understanding Inheritance 423
Chapter 24 What Inheritance Really Means 425
Timing and Distribution 426
Estate and Inheritance Taxes 427
Retirement Accounts and Beneficiary Designations 430
Life Insurance and Payouts 431
Real Estate and Mortgages 432
Investments and Business Interests 434
Personal Property and Sentimental Assets 435
Debts and Liabilities 436
Disclaiming an Inheritance 438
Special Assets with Special Rules 439
Common Surprises and Hidden Property 440
Planning for What You Receive 441
References 445
Congratulations, You Made It to the End of the Book 447
About the Authors 449
Acknowledgments 451
In Memory ¢" Andrew Zuckerman 453
Index 455
